It still looks like winter outside, but gardeners are already feeling their green thumbs, and at the garden centres we are getting ready. There are some great gardening trends to check out this spring, and colour is one of them. Look for bright neon colours this spring, including pinks, blues, orange and yellow. These colours will certainly add colour to the landscape as well as attract bees, birds and butterflies to the outdoor garden. Attracting and feeding the bees is another trend we will be seeing this summer, by planting annuals, perennials and shrubs in the landscape to attract bees. Bees play an important role in the garden as they pollinate many of the fruits and vegetables that we eat, so we certainly want to attract them, by planting things that will attract them throughout the growing season. Fruit trees, small berries, perennials such as BeeBalm, Lupines, Echinacea, and annuals alyssum, petunias, verbena etc., are all favourites among the bee population.
Outdoor gardens are a place to entertain and relax and are becoming an outdoor room, with beautiful patio furniture, colourful pillows and mats, lighting, fountains, and of course plants. Solar lighting is a huge trend as it uses the suns rays during the day to create a soft light at night, throughout the landscape. Solar lights come in different forms and can be easily placed anywhere in the garden Look for attractive lamps, globes, spot lights, sensors, and branches. The lights can be used to light up a path, or highlight a favourite part of the garden, and the branches can be placed in container gardens to give it some extra night time flair! Moving water has a calming affect in the landscape and fountains are gaining in popularity. The fountains come in a wide range of style and size, starting from the small table top fountains to the large two or three tiered fountains. Many of the fountains are now made of resin making them easier to handle and longer lasting.
Many people enjoy growing their own fruits, vegetables and herbs, in their backyard gardens. Every year there are more and more home gardens, and container gardens for those with limited space. People have the satisfaction of growing their own food and knowing where it came from. Try planting some of the super foods such as kale, garlic, and Hascap berries, which are all easy to grow in our Prince George climate.
Container gardens continue to be popular. They are a great way to add instant colour to any setting and are perfect for gardeners who have limited space. Containers are not just limited to flowers. Vegetables and herbs can be successfully grown in containers. There are many vegetable varieties that are smaller and more compact so that they are better suited to grow in containers. There are also different containers such as the potato bag that are specifically designed for growing potatoes in a small space or patio.
Gardening is a hobby that continues to grow in popularity. It is a great way to get outside, relieve stress, exercise, and enjoy eating fresh healthy produce!
